1500 cooling system?

AssKickinHD · August 16, 2004

I have a 2002 Z71 Tahoe (with tow package) and I want to beef up the cooling system. Im going to be doing some heavy towing and want to try and keep this thing alive as long as possible.

What's the difference between the cooling (ie. external oil & tranny coolers) on the 1500's & the HD's? Can I do anything to get the 1500 up to par with the HD?

bigdogs · August 16, 2004

Just a WAG here but look for the stuff (oil & tranny coolers, radiator, etc.) that's on a 2500HD with the Duramax and put those on yours.

REMF · August 16, 2004

I think stopping is more important than anything other related to towing. May not ever get in the situation but it only takes one time needing brakes and not having them to ruin a day.

remf

bigdogs · August 16, 2004

After I made my post I thought the samething too. Brakes are even more important than the cooling system. In fact that is how I hear they rate towing on ATVs, by how much they can easily stop.

AssKickinHD · August 16, 2004

Thanks for the concern about braking, but the braking system is fine. This is my 2nd Tahoe that I'll be pulling this load with and Ive never (Knock on wood!!) had any breaking issues. I have however, burned through 2 trannys and a rear end on my last Tahoe and would like to try and avoid that with this one.

There is nothing more that I'd love to do than to walk out and check out the cooling system on my HD, but I just sold it! I'd like to try and make it a year with the Tahoe so I need to do what I can to keep it alive pulling a 7k to 8k boat.

Thanks for the help guys.....

cbrxx · August 16, 2004

Thanks for the concern about braking, but the braking system is fine. This is my 2nd Tahoe that I'll be pulling this load with and Ive never (Knock on wood!!) had any breaking issues. I have however, burned through 2 trannys and a rear end on my last Tahoe and would like to try and avoid that with this one.

There is nothing more that I'd love to do than to walk out and check out the cooling system on my HD, but I just sold it! I'd like to try and make it a year with the Tahoe so I need to do what I can to keep it alive pulling a 7k to 8k boat.

Thanks for the help guys.....

Since the factory tow package should include the tranny cooler, you should be ok there. Does it have a tranny temp guage like my 04 Yukon? If so, watch your temps when towing. If it runs hot, consider replacing the tranny cooler "radiator" with a larger unit, or even just add a 2nd one inline. You can even get ones that mount up and under the vehicle, that have their own aux electric fan for airflow.

Change the oil in your axle to a full synthetic with a wider range viscosity than stock., like 75w140 or something like that.

The key to both of these is to also change all your fluids regularly!!! I don't tow but generally do the tranny every 24k miles, and the axles and transfer case every 36k. If towing regularly, I would do twice as often.

I do engine oil every 3k, and coolant usually every other year, which is probably 30k or so. Again, unless you find that you are running very hot, you probably don't need aux engine oil cooler. Just change coolant and oil more often.

Steve

dannyukonxl · August 17, 2004

HUGE difference, the 2500 is made for towing whereas the 1500 is made for no towing to a little towing. our old 94 1500 burban ate up 3 new radiators etc, so that was enough to convince me into a 2500 with a huge 3x2 foot radiator power steering cooler, tranny cooler, etc as mentioned before the brakes are a huge difference also. but as for cooling i would try running some of that new purple stuff they have out thats supposed to aid the coolant in doing its job, i forget what its called but its a recent product or use redline water wetter, this in turn will actually lower engine oil temperatures and we all know how good that is,

as far as the tranny goes i would go with a larger cooler for sure, even if it doesnt over heat, and what cbr said, change fluids regularly and bump up the viscosity

AssKickinHD · August 17, 2004

Man I hear that! I ran the h*ll out of my HD towing between 7 & 10k pounds and had zero problems period! And that includes a lot of towing through the mountains in 110 degree heat. My HD never missed a beat.......I didnt plan on having any heavy towing for at least a year or two, but I think that might be changing so I need to get the Tahoe ready for a rough life....primarily because I cant keep my foot out of it.. Oh well...only have to live with it for a year....

budhayes3 · August 17, 2004

I'm pretty sure that the HD uses a bigger radiator (34" as compared to 29" or something like that). I've heard that it will swap right in with little to no modifications.

AssKickinHD · August 17, 2004

Im ok with the radiator for now........Just concerned about everything else, for now.

mazingo · August 18, 2004

I think you should have a small tranny cooler in front of your radiator, but trust me if you plan to pull 7k or more in vest in a larger one. TCI makes some, and the 2500 HD's should be a factory fit as long as the trannies are the same. But GM thing are high and not alway the best. Look around and find one rated for you towed weight. Hope this helped

ss275hp · August 22, 2004

I put a 1 ton radiator with engine oil cooler built in to it with auto tranny cooler on my 2003 half-ton silverado. It was a direct fit i have the part # if you need.

The engine oil cooler line went in real easy. The book in the glove box says my tranny should run about 180-200 on average and mine never got above 140 until it got to be 110 outside here in arizona. From what i found the tranny cooler in the 1 ton radiator has 4 more rows over half ton, that combined with the auxilary cooler it works really well.